PDA

View Full Version : West conf finals Lakers-Spurs pre-series analysis



applejoe
04-30-2008, 04:07 AM
I'm really hoping these two teams will meet after the next round. The Lakers has probably the best player in the league right now, but after watching the Spurs/Suns series, it looks like the Spurs are still the most complete team in the NBA. On offense, they've got two of the most dangerous perimeter players in the league in Parker and Ginobili, and on the inside is the post play of Duncan. They've also got very good role players that can hit their shots in Finley and Bowen. On defense, Duncan plays dominating post and help D while Bowen always gives the opposing star perimeter player a hard time.

So how does the Lakers match up? Coaching is pretty much even, two experienced coaches used to winning, so let's just look at the players, starting with the front court. Though Gasol is no push over, he's still no match for Duncan, so given that all their other bigs are pretty much even, the Spurs have the slight edge inside on both ends of the floor. We'll have to see if the Lakers will be able to use Odom to exploit mismatches like the Suns tried to do with Diaw.

The perimeter is where the real battle is at. I think the Spurs have it evenly matched with the Lakers, because the Lakers don't have Bynum to help negate the dribble penetration of Parker and Ginobili. Kobe will need to be on fire to give the Lakers the edge, but that hasn't happened much this year and Bowen will make it real tough for Kobe to get his rhythm going. In this match up, I don't feel that he will have the consistency of Ginobili and Parker in terms of offensive output. With Parker, he can always find a way to get to the rim for a high percentage shot. Ginobili has been good at finding his spots, and Popavich knows when and how to use him. Unless Kobe is really able to step up his game to a Jordan-like level, it really depends on the role players to hit the shots, and outside of Fisher, the Lakers role players are less experienced than the Spurs role players.

These two teams should be the best matchup for the Western Conf. finals, let's hope they don't choke and lose in the next round.

3stat2
04-30-2008, 04:15 AM
I personally would much prefer to watch the Lakers in the finals, after seeing the Spurs there so much in recent history - but I think we're going to see the Spurs come out of the West again. I really want to see what Kobe does on the biggest stage in basketball, but I have a feeling I'll be watching Tim Duncan, Parker and Manu... again.

The Spurs still gotta get past the Hornets though, and the Lakers need to get past the Jazz/Rockets. It would be just ridiculous to write off NO and Utah so quickly.

Lamar Doom
04-30-2008, 04:29 AM
I think we actually match up quite well and are both easily the most "complete" teams in the west. I feel like we (lake show) do everything that San Antonio does a little bit better and faster than they do it. I'm not totally on board with "the spurs are over the hill" but other than parker and to some extent ginobli they are not a very quick team. parker will be very tricky for fish and farmar, but we've been dealing well with matchups that favor the opponents point guard with our team defense (thank you lamar) and solid rotations. It's cliche but it will be so much about which team is able to dictate the pace. There's players on both sides that neither side has an answer for so it will also come down to the role players, the luke waltons, sashas, brent barrys, mike finleys. Pop really likes Udoka on Kobe which means we might see a very different looking rotation for San Antonio than we did in this Suns series. Duncan and Pau are both methodical and that matchup will be very interesting. I'll also be curious to see if Lamar doesn't spend some time on ginobli, use his length to try to contain his fellow southpaw (lefty). if the game's are in the 100s every night the lakers are going to win the series. If the spurs can slow us down and take certain things away from us, they can do it, obviously they're one of the great teams of this era but I think the Lakes might have their number this year.

MochaUdoka
04-30-2008, 04:48 AM
No matter how it ends up I am absolutely salivating over this matchup. Nothing against Utah/NO, but I feel these are the 2 best teams in the West. Of course we will find out if that is actually true over the next couple weeks :)

Spurs probably lose if the Lakers get a healthy Bynum back or Kobe elevates his game (good luck doing that against Udoka! j/k i have to support my player)

Sadly this series would probably come down to the battle of the floppers

Kiddlovesnets
04-30-2008, 04:48 AM
The Lakers need to have Andrew Bynum back otherwise they could only wish the Hornets to defeat the Spurs if they want to clinch the final.

BryantGasol89
04-30-2008, 04:56 AM
the hornets are gonna beat the oap's so we wont be seeing a lakers/spuds match up :)

Kiddlovesnets
04-30-2008, 04:57 AM
the hornets are gonna beat the oap's so we wont be seeing a lakers/spuds match up :)

Exactly...
:cheers:

Lamar Doom
04-30-2008, 05:09 AM
The Lakers need to have Andrew Bynum back otherwise they could only wish the Hornets to defeat the Spurs if they want to clinch the final.


that doesn't mean anything. Bynum's not coming back, we're the best team in the league w/o him, we don't NEED him at all. it would be nice if he came back, worst case scenario we could give him Mbenga's minutes and have him be a wonderful back up. This dilusion that the lakers are waiting for him to come back to be complete (this season) has been over for quite a while. Bynum certainly eases the burden for Pau and Lamar who will have to be extra careful to stay out of foul trouble, which the spurs are good at getting players into, but we dont' NEED anything to clinch the final.

griffmoney1984
04-30-2008, 05:12 AM
IMO. the only team that had a chance to beat LA was Phoenix. they are the only team that matched up well.

now they are eliminated.

the only team standing in their way now is Boston.

and when Paul Pierce's Blood's get bounced out of the 1st round by the hawks. no one will be left to stop us

Kiddlovesnets
04-30-2008, 05:15 AM
IMO. the only team that had a chance to beat LA was Phoenix. they are the only team that matched up well.

now they are eliminated.

the only team standing in their way now is Boston.

and when Paul Pierce's Blood's get bounced out of the 1st round by the hawks. no one will be left to stop us

Don't forget the Pistons. The Lakers might not even win one game against Detroit.

All Net
04-30-2008, 06:10 AM
Don't forget the Pistons. The Lakers might not even win one game against Detroit.

Might not even win one game? are you a moron or something? we are struggling to beat the freaking Sixers yet we would destroy L.A...get out of here with that crap.

loot
04-30-2008, 06:29 AM
I think we actually match up quite well and are both easily the most "complete" teams in the west.

Not really. When it comes to being a complete team the Hornets and Jazz look much better. Better shooters. Better PG. Kobe's excellence is what makes them better than a 'good' team. Look at the Hornets and Jazz, they've got good players at every position along with a pretty nice bench.

nashisbest
04-30-2008, 06:34 AM
lakers vs tired spurs -> lakers win

spurs contain kobe -> spurs win

fisher can't keep up with parker and duncan dominates gasol

3stat2
04-30-2008, 06:48 AM
If they do meet up, it'll be a heck of a matchup. Here's some food for thought:
- It would be fun to watch hack-a-Mbenga. It has a certain ring to it. Almost sounds like the name of a board game.
- If there's any guard that can get Kobe into foul trouble, I think it is Manu. Although on the other hand, Kobe is great at getting other guards into foul trouble too. They might have less of an impact on the series than we'd all expect.
- Kobe better protect his dislocated pinkie. Because a certain number 12 is going to go straight for the jugul... I mean pinkie.
- Kurt Thomas is a very very physical defender. He's going to be difficult for Gasol to go against.
- These are probably the two best playoff coaches in the NBA going against each other head-to-head. Every single coach whose team is out of the playoffs should be watching this to learn from Pop and Phil.

Lamar Doom
04-30-2008, 07:09 AM
Not really. When it comes to being a complete team the Hornets and Jazz look much better. Better shooters. Better PG. Kobe's excellence is what makes them better than a 'good' team. Look at the Hornets and Jazz, they've got good players at every position along with a pretty nice bench.

hmm. i guess i don't agree, but really all four of the western semis (assuming utah advances) are awfully complete top to bottom-- i understand how their strongest player being their point guard might make them feel more "complete" (which i originally put in quotes because of it's subjectivity), or how peja or mo pete makes more sense to round out a five man rotation than radmonovich. I think the lakers are the most complete in the sense of having roles filled, even if they aren't what you might consider the normal responsibilities from the position.
we play two "shooters" in both of our main lineups (fish/vlad start, sash/farm second unit) and i really don't think either team has vastly superior shooters to us. Our point guard duties aren't prototypical because our SG and PF primarily control the ball to start the offense (most often), but our offense is one of the most effectively run in the league, so we don't end up with a "playmaker" point like chris or deron, but the results are the same.
We have inside and out moreso than Utah in my mind. Okur and Boozer hardly makeup my opinion of a complete frontcourt. Odom's certainly not a classic post up power forward but he rebounds like one and his passing, agility, footwork, ballhandling (ability in general) make up for that. Pau's a methodical post style player, and while neither would be looked at as a powerful presence, they do control the middle pretty well.
As far as bench goes there's no way you can't give the nod to us (I HATE pargo), turiaf and walton are excellent quality second unit frontcourters. Obviously Mbenga is a piece that we're dealing with because of injuries but he doesn't plague the team in his limited minutes. Sasha and Jordan have taken cyclical turns being excellent offensive sparks this year... i just got bored with my own post and sleepy. can't wait for the second round, night.

JohnRuck
04-30-2008, 08:13 AM
hornets can take either the lakers or the spurs in 7 games. now let all the lakers fans comment
kobe bryant>>>>chris paul
hornets>>>>>>>lakers

kgisbigticket
04-30-2008, 10:35 AM
Lakers need to worry about trying to beat Utah or Houston.

kgisbigticket
04-30-2008, 10:37 AM
hornets can take either the lakers or the spurs in 7 games. now let all the lakers fans comment
kobe bryant>>>>chris paul
hornets>>>>>>>lakers

CP3 >>>>> Kobe

http://ftp.anakinweb.com/classic_trilogy/personnages/darth-vader/dark_vador-leia.jpg

elz
04-30-2008, 10:46 AM
If LA had Bynum

I'd take LA


but without Bynum they're definitely done in Six


Gasol can not guard Duncan one on one
and niether can Odom. And that is going to open things up for Parker and Ginobli. But if Bynum was there, the Lakers could completely shut Ginobli and Parker down. Because you could put Kobe on Parker and Odom on Ginobli and Bynum on Duncan with occasional Help from Gasol and it's a wrap. Now Duncan is going to dominate, Spurs in 6

picc84
04-30-2008, 10:57 AM
If both of us get there:

We dont have Bynum - LA in 7

We do have Bynum - LA in 6

LAL have won every big game we've had this year. We step up our level of play according to our opponent. We swept Denver and its not even near the best we've looked all year. I think SA obviously can beat us but I like our chances with homecourt.

applejoe
05-20-2008, 12:36 AM
Looks like I predicted correctly.

I forgot the key match up between the two teams: the refs. Who has advantage on the refs?

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 12:42 AM
hornets can take either the lakers or the spurs in 7 games. now let all the lakers fans comment
kobe bryant>>>>chris paul
hornets>>>>>>>lakers

really? how did that work out?

ZeN
05-20-2008, 12:42 AM
Who has advantage on the refs?


i would predict that the home team will...

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 12:46 AM
quick analysis:

This matchup favors the Spurs.
1. Duncan is bigger, stronger, better than Gasol.
2. Kobe will actually have to play real defense against Manu.
3. Kobe will have TWO really good defenders on him: Bowen and Udoka.
4. Tony Parker is a pain in collective Laker butt.
5. Spurs bench has MUCH more experience.

well...at least the Lakers have home court advantage.

Loki
05-20-2008, 01:52 AM
quick analysis:

This matchup favors the Spurs.
1. Duncan is bigger, stronger, better than Gasol.
2. Kobe will actually have to play real defense against Manu.
3. Kobe will have TWO really good defenders on him: Bowen and Udoka.
4. Tony Parker is a pain in collective Laker butt.
5. Spurs bench has MUCH more experience.

well...at least the Lakers have home court advantage.

The Lakers have a size advantage at every position, some significant (viz. Odom). That's worth mentioning. Their designated shooters (Radman, Vujacic, Fisher) are also shooting better, at a combined 46.7% from 3 on 11.2 3FGA/gm, which is just an absurd percentage (you'd need to shoot 70% on 2's to generate the same ppg in that few shot attempts).

Fedor - Laker
05-20-2008, 01:56 AM
If LA had Bynum

I'd take LA


but without Bynum they're definitely done in Six


Gasol can not guard Duncan one on one
and niether can Odom. And that is going to open things up for Parker and Ginobli. But if Bynum was there, the Lakers could completely shut Ginobli and Parker down. Because you could put Kobe on Parker and Odom on Ginobli and Bynum on Duncan with occasional Help from Gasol and it's a wrap. Now Duncan is going to dominate, Spurs in 6
uhm he practically contained Duncan during their last game.

konex
05-20-2008, 01:57 AM
Gasol can not guard Duncan one on one

Pau did a pretty good job the last game they played this year (2nd to last gm of the season)

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AhfxRVmi1pUfywQHcRYeE3aLvLYF?gid=200 8041313

I like this matchup for LA if the Spurs aren't hitting their 3s. Lakers are a higher scoring team and they will also outrebound the Spurs. Hopefully Ariza is ready to go cos LA will need him on Manu so Kobe stays out of foul trouble..

gpfanz
05-20-2008, 01:59 AM
Kobe 20 FTA/ game. LaKERS win it all

hotsizzle
05-20-2008, 02:14 AM
It'll be interesting to see how Odom does in this series. Hes either too quick/agile or too lengthy/big for whoever is guarding him. Pau's length should help him against Timmy D. The guy I'm most scared of is TP, the Lakers have been shaky on defensive rotation/awareness and I can see TP giving them some problems when getting into the paint.

Both team's benches will be a big part in deciding the outcome. LA needs Farmar to get out of his slump and be that big spark off the bench he was for most of the season.

Loki
05-20-2008, 02:18 AM
Kobe 20 FTA/ game. LaKERS win it all

lol Basically.

I find it another stroke of Laker luck that they'll be getting Ariza back juuuuust when they actually need him. :oldlol:

hotsizzle
05-20-2008, 02:18 AM
Also the Spurs coming off of a 7 game series being the old group that they are is a huge advantage for the Lakers.

Lakers in 6

hotsizzle
05-20-2008, 02:20 AM
lol Basically.

I find it another stroke of Laker luck that they'll be getting Ariza back juuuuust when they actually need him. :oldlol:

Oh ****, I totally forgot about Ariza. Hes going to be big for us this series... makes the bench that much more dependable. Not to mention the defense and the hustle

3stat2
05-20-2008, 02:30 AM
What are the chances of the Lakers doing what the Suns used to do with Marion - i.e. put Ariza on Parker and use his length and athleticism to disrupt him? (while having Kobe on Manu and Fisher on Bowen)

If the Lakers want to win, I think they'll need to contain at least one of their top 3 players, while containing 2 would almost guarantee a win.

This is definitely going to be worth watching

Eldrunko247
05-20-2008, 02:34 AM
Not really. When it comes to being a complete team the Hornets and Jazz look much better. Better shooters. Better PG. Kobe's excellence is what makes them better than a 'good' team. Look at the Hornets and Jazz, they've got good players at every position along with a pretty nice bench.
yeah the jazz or more complete. that's why we eliminated the jazz in 6.

SCdac
05-20-2008, 02:41 AM
What's going to help the Spurs in this series is their mid-season trade for Kurt Thomas, and conversely the absence of Andrew Bynum. Before, it was a tandem of Duncan and Oberto, but there's now another capable defender, and 6 more fouls the Spurs can throw at big men. Of course they did this to counter the Shaq and Gasol trade. The Spurs have already gone through one of those players, now comes Pau. Thomas has been one of the better roleplayers for SA thus far. In this last game versus the Hornets, he came up with some crucial rebounds (5 offensive boards), and the win before in SA he put up 9 reb. Against phoenix, he helped contain Shaq/Amare, and had a couple of 10-reb games. Obviously he's not in the roster for scoring, but he's been a steady defensive presence for the Spurs.

GMW
05-20-2008, 02:45 AM
lol Basically.

I find it another stroke of Laker luck that they'll be getting Ariza back juuuuust when they actually need him. :oldlol:
yeah it's really lucky to get an injured player back :rolleyes:

iggy>
05-20-2008, 02:46 AM
lakers in 7

john_d
05-20-2008, 03:05 AM
Ariza should guard Manu. Ariza's a really athletic and talented perimeter defender.

Kobe should play TP at times, his height , speed, and strength will go a long way and cutting him off from penetrating our interior.

I'm looking forward to the Duncan/Pau matchup. Duncan's a better player, but Pau will cause some problems. Spurs aren't as physical as the Jazz, I can see Pau having a big series.

Lakers bench > their bench

It should be a good series. Lakers in 6, with the lakeshow holding down home court and stealing 1 game on the road.
i second that.

ariza is playing on this series...

SCdac
05-20-2008, 03:07 AM
What makes the Lakers bench better?

Personally, I'd take that second group any day of the week. They're deeper, have more experience, and make more clutch plays (not just shots). Count Ginobili as a bench player, and it's only that much more convincing, but he's a starter at heart.

S. Vujacic
L. Walton
J. Farmar
R. Turiaf

M. Finley
I. Udoka
K. Thomas
R. Horry (has come to life)
B. Barry
J. Vaughn

eliteballer
05-20-2008, 03:12 AM
lol Basically.

I find it another stroke of Laker luck that they'll be getting Ariza back juuuuust when they actually need him. :oldlol:

Ya, we're soooo lucky that Bynum is out for the season too. ISHiot:ohwell:

brandonislegend
05-20-2008, 03:17 AM
ariza > manu :D

go-lakers
05-20-2008, 03:31 AM
Kobe should play TP at times, his height , speed, and strength will go a long way and cutting him off from penetrating our interior.


lol I read that as "Kobe should play TD at times" and I was like what?? :hammerhead:

insidehoops
05-20-2008, 03:52 AM
Discuss the upcoming Lakers vs Spurs Western conference finals matchup.

The Lakers have homecourt advantage, which has been pretty important so far in this year's playoffs.

Discuss the matchups, the pros and cons of each team, advantages they have over each other, x-factors, and anything else you can think of.

Predictions are fun, but they need an explanation, too.

Enjoy the series and discuss your views on the matchup!

Kobe=MVP07`
05-20-2008, 03:55 AM
there are 2 X-factors in this game

1: Lamar Odom; Kobe will be slowed a bit by bowen/udoka, Gasol will be slowed by duncan, but Odom is the 1 mismatch with either a kurt thomas or ginobli on him, he's gotta be consistantly big!

2. 3 pt shooting, gotta shoot a high percentage, both the lakers and spurs dominate if they can shoot well from 3 to compliment the rest of the game..

Game 1 is really important!!!!!! if spurs win, then they won 1 on the road and stole homecourt with a chance to go to sa up 2-0

if lakers win then they have so ground on the spurs

w00terz
05-20-2008, 04:02 AM
Much to my dislike, I predict a Lakers victory in 6 games. They are simply too good right now to be stopped, especially by an aging Spurs team. The X-factors for the Lakers are their perimeter shooters.

Vlad, Vujacic, Fisher, Farmar, Walton have to step up and knock down their shots. Odom and Gasol will get theirs (Kobe demands too much attention for them not too).

For the Spurs, Finley, Udoka, and Fab have to step up as well. Duncan will be drawing a ton of double teams leading Fab to be open. Manu, Parker, and Finley will get theirs. Bowen will play great D on Kobe as usual.

Overall though, Lakers will win out. They're simply too good. There is a possibility that they choke, however, I can't really see it happening. I'm interested in how Gasol will play against the Spurs bigs.

elementally morale
05-20-2008, 04:29 AM
Copy and paste from the other thread:

-----------------

Kobe and Manu? That's great.

I was a Manu fan from the get-go. Strangest moves in the NBA but effective and joyful to watch. I'm beginning to like Parker whom I couldn't stand a few years back. I guess adding that jumper was nice after all. Duncan is good, although I still think he is way overrated on a historical level. Better than Shaq and Hakeem my ass. Kobe is Kobe.

Watch for Odom and Manu in this series. The X-factors for each team. Whichever of them steps up his team should prevail. SA has the advantage at the 1 and 5 (I consider Duncan a 5 here), LA has a clear advantage at the 2 and 4 (and I consider Odom a 4 here), and the rest is pretty even (bench, SF and coaching).

Should be a good one.

--------------------

Well, I know what I'm gonna receive for this one, but I'll say it nevertheless.

While I agree that Duncan is a top15 player all time, much of it has to do with winning so much in my eyes. He utilizes his strenghts very well and he was also lucky to have been picked up by the Spurs. (Who are even more lucky, BTW.)

As an individual player, I don't have Duncan above David Robinson (whom I liked) or even Karl Malone (whom I alway hated). Not a chance Duncan was/is better than Charles Barkley. And he was/is nowhere near Hakeem. He is a very good player in an ideal situation. Top15? Yeah, I guess so. I can't make his accomplishments go away.

But as a basketball player... still very good but not among the best ones to me. BTW, I have nothing against him. Almost impossible to hate the guy. He is the NBA's Pete Sampras. Not very exciting but almost perfect. But to me he lacks that *something* a McEnroe or a Becker had. Or Hakeem.

Career wise he is top15. He simply won too much (and he may actually go on and win some more...). But as a player, well... not top15. Still very good. But misses that extra *something*. IT, as they say.

-----------------------

Originally Posted by Glove_20
What is Duncan really really good at? That's the "It" Duncan is missing.


The bank shot and the funny faces after comitting an obvious foul. Duncan is the king of funny faces. I actually enjoy watching his facial expressions. Makes me laugh a lot of the time.

----------------------

Oh, and as for my prediction... I've already made it in another thread but since this seems to be the official one, I'll just repeat.

Both teams will win a game on the road. If it's either of the first two games San Antonio will win in 6. If LA takes both their first two games I can see them winning in 7.

eltonrosas
05-20-2008, 04:35 AM
Spurs 4-2

lakers are still too weak. Just barely beat Utah, and they match up worst against the Spurs.

I hate them both, but Spurs will win.

jan803
05-20-2008, 04:45 AM
Spurs 4-2

lakers are still too weak. Just barely beat Utah, and they match up worst against the Spurs.

I hate them both, but Spurs will win.

uh, the lakers and pistons were the only two teams to win an away game in the second round. that hardly constitutes, 'barely' beating anyone.

utah's home record was impressive but we're the only team to beat them twice at energy solutions.

if anything the spurs might be a bit weaker having had played 7 grueling games while the lakers have had a chance to heal injuries.

the worst thing they've dealt with is fighting over who pays for dinner.

haha, kobe's been losing those battles. being mvp has had its price. :D

i don't believe this...read what mvp cost these days:

kobe finds the right time to give (http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2008/05/20/kobe-finds-it-the-right-time-to-give/)

the.powerhouse
05-20-2008, 05:46 AM
I got the feeling the Lakers are going to win this one. Kobe has been waiting for this moment far too long, and the Gasol - Duncan matchup is a lot closer than people think. Fisher had to deal with Williams the round before. You can't tell me Parker is a tougher matchup. Plus over the years he has dealt with Parker often.

And lets not forget the fact that David Stern handed out those spy ear plugs to his referees so he can stay in touch with them throughout the game, and remind them of how much revenue is at stake with the up and coming Celtics - Lakers final.

-NB-
05-20-2008, 06:31 AM
Mains factors IMHO will be age and stamina.

All Spurs players age are 30 or more (except T.Parker and M.Bonner) whereas Lakers players - less than 30 (except I.Newble). So 4-5 years difference will show in games. SAS will capitulate before last minutes in some games, because they will want to save their leaders for next games. In my opinion, Spurs will expect play 6-7 games and set their leaders minutes only for 4 games in which they will expect win. The expierence and players from the bench won't play the main role in this series.

The series from SAS side:
Game 1: Lakers ~+20, SAS leaders take an extra rest time
Game 2: Spurs ~+5, surprise for Lakers
Game 3: Spurs +10 again
Game 4: Spurs +2 after OT:) Lakers are in panic
Game 5: Lakers +20, because they are angry and SAS leaders play only ~30 minutes
Game 6: Spurs +10

The series from LAL side:
Game 1: Lakers ~+20, they show who are better
Game 2: Lakers +10, they can't make mistakes at home
Game 3: Spurs +20, Lakers leaders hame a rest
Game 4: Lakers + 10, stamina is better
Game 5: Lakers +5, maybe we have new NBA champions? :)


In this series I root for Lakers :)

MaxFly
05-20-2008, 06:39 AM
lol Basically.

I find it another stroke of Laker luck that they'll be getting Ariza back juuuuust when they actually need him. :oldlol:

Wasn't Ariza supposed to be back sooner?

elementally morale
05-20-2008, 07:03 AM
^ The managing minutes part was interesting.

~LA's fine$t~
05-20-2008, 07:45 AM
I find it another stroke of Laker luck that they'll be getting Ariza back juuuuust when they actually need him

So, Lakers being the ONLY team missing a starter out of the remaining teams is considered luck to you? :rolleyes:

It's funny picking on this guy, he's such an easy target with his endless moronic statements.

dirkdiggler41
05-20-2008, 07:49 AM
I have to go with Spurs on this one

niko
05-20-2008, 07:55 AM
Every road game for the Spurs is an adventure, and against the Suns, even the home games were close. If this series is similar, the Lakers will win,because they are a much better close out team than the Hornets are. Remember Jazz are equal to the Hornets, if not very close, and the lakers almost got Game 4, and totally shut them out in Game 6. The Spurs in both those situations, absolutely were awful.

Lakers in 6. Nothign I've seen so far in the playoffs tells me the Spurs are better than the Lakers.

glidedrxlr22
05-20-2008, 11:10 AM
Congrats to the Spurs. I'm looking forward to a Spurs vs Celtics Final. Oh yeah, by the way, Spurs over Lakers in 6.

ukplayer4
05-20-2008, 11:18 AM
i have to say i think the spurs will loose to la, theres mismatches all over, i just think the lakers execute offensivly so much better right now, the spurs have really struggled for long periods in games. both teams will have trouble guarding key players and hopefully that will make for a high scoring series but i just dont think the spurs will be able to keep up offensivly. i love to watch the spurs(i know i am one of the few) and i think it is a great shame every single person hates them and is totally against them cause they play the purest team basketball of any team, by quite a way. at this stage they are pretty old, slow and give up athleticism to almost every team in the league.... in that sense they are a big underdog going into this series, well they are anyway.....

if the spurs do manage to beat la it will be a far greater achievment then vice versa, i mean it is a miricle they got past new orleans, after watching the first few games who thought the spurs would be able to make the adjusments and beat a far quicker more athletic hornet team that were running rings around them.

the spurs are massive underdogs, they are old, slow and hated by everyone because they play the game it is meant to be played(boring to some). if duncan brings his a game this should be an epic series.

TMT
05-20-2008, 11:53 AM
I think the most key matchup in this series is going to be Fisher - Parker. We know Fisher is bigger and will be able to keep Parker in front of him. But say on the fast break, is Fisher going to be fast enough to keep up with Parker?

The other matchup is going to be Duncan/Thomas/Oberto - Gasol. I see Thomas guarding Gasol for the most part, of course because the Spurs need to keep Duncan out of foul trouble and Thomas is the biggest guy and I see him having the most success guarding Gasol. Oberto will be up against him once in a while but the real issue is going to be who is going to step up and guard this guy.

ihatetimthomas
05-20-2008, 12:04 PM
Lakers match up well against them. There is not one player who will be able to defend Odom. He is the key. I expect him to have a huge series and be the Lakers best player this series. He will live and die by him bc he will receive one on one coverage and he is too quick off the dribble for Duncan and Oberto. I want him to be aggressive this series.

Parker will go off, just need to contain the others. Keep Ginobili and Duncan in check and if Parker goes off so be it. There is no one that can stop him anyways. Parker will have a big series.

Lakers have fresh legs, and I think that will be a factor. Spurs just went through a long 7-game series, Lakers have been rested. Fatigue will set in for the Spurs. I do expect the Lakers to come out rusty the 1st quarter, but that will pass.

So that leaves Kobe to defend Ginobili and Gasol/Turiaf/Mbenga on Duncan. We have a lot of bodies to throw at him. Gasol will not be able to control Duncan, but he can do a decent job. I hear Ariza will play so that will help defensively.

I see Lakers in 6. They have played very well and are much fresher. Should be a very competitive series

gts
05-20-2008, 12:07 PM
I think the most key matchup in this series is going to be Fisher - Parker. We know Fisher is bigger and will be able to keep Parker in front of him. But say on the fast break, is Fisher going to be fast enough to keep up with Parker?

The other matchup is going to be Duncan/Thomas/Oberto - Gasol. I see Thomas guarding Gasol for the most part, of course because the Spurs need to keep Duncan out of foul trouble and Thomas is the biggest guy and I see him having the most success guarding Gasol. Oberto will be up against him once in a while but the real issue is going to be who is going to step up and guard this guy.good questions, you forgot odom in there, odom will command somebody's attention, he and gasol have proven to be a great combination working the paint... and they both play equally well with turiaf so at anyone time on the floor you have a combination of odom gasol or turiaf on the floor. i don't actually see the spurs with a clearcut answer to lamar.

fish has had AI and D williams to deal with so far and has come out well, his biggest asset is he doesn't have to score, he can devote himself to the defensive end and take his shots in the flow of the game. parker is a bit different in his style of play likes to get out and run, so the lakers will need to get rebounds and protect the ball to keep parker from running the floor. it will be interesting to see how the two match up.

TMT
05-20-2008, 12:21 PM
You're right in saying that Odom might be our hardest matchup. He's basically a 3 playing at the 4 spot. He's athletic and can get to the rim and the Spurs really don't have any post defenders that can keep up with him. Duncan, Thomas and Oberto are just not athletic enough to keep up with him and Bowen and Udoka are to small to guard the 6"10 Odom. That is going to have to be something we have to solve. But as of right now as for defensive matchups for the Spurs:

Gasol - Duncan
Odom - Thomas
(with occasional switches)

Vlad - Ginobili
Bryant - Bowen
(with occasional switches, but not as much as above)

Fisher - Parker

gts
05-20-2008, 12:26 PM
Udoka*sp, is a good defender he'll see time on kobe too i imagine, he covered him earlier this season and did as well as anybody has.
you mention switches TMT and that's a key to the spurs, pops love changing things up and confusing teams, not sure how well it will work against the triangle since it's not a set offense but we'll see...

i'm hyped for this series, can't wait, it will be the biggest teast for the lakers so far.

two great coaches

kobe gasol odom fish and the bench mob
duncan parker manu bowen horry

too cool...

ukplayer4
05-20-2008, 12:33 PM
i have to say i think the spurs will loose to la, theres mismatches all over, i just think the lakers execute offensivly so much better right now, the spurs have really struggled for long periods in games. both teams will have trouble guarding key players and hopefully that will make for a high scoring series but i just dont think the spurs will be able to keep up offensivly. i love to watch the spurs(i know i am one of the few) and i think it is a great shame every single person hates them and is totally against them cause they play the purest team basketball of any team, by quite a way. at this stage they are pretty old, slow and give up athleticism to almost every team in the league.... in that sense they are a big underdog going into this series, well they are anyway.....

if the spurs do manage to beat la it will be a far greater achievment then vice versa, i mean it is a miricle they got past new orleans, after watching the first few games who thought the spurs would be able to make the adjusments and beat a far quicker more athletic hornet team that were running rings around them.

the spurs are massive underdogs, they are old, slow and hated by everyone because they play the game as it is meant to be played(boring to some). if duncan brings his a game this should be an epic series.

i agree that odom will have a big series.

KeylessEntry
05-20-2008, 12:35 PM
Should be a great series. I think the Lakers match up much better with the Spurs than the Hornets. I see the lakers winning this in 6. Spurs experience edge is pretty moot on the Lakers, but the Lakers talent is miles past the Spurs, best coaching matchup in the entire NBA!!

zzZZZZzzz

niko
05-20-2008, 01:07 PM
a couple of things that always favor the Spurs, teh favorable calls (they got an almost even up game 7 for most of the game on the road, thats weird), the superior coaching, the experience, and the clutch shooting are things that the Lakers also have. The only real advantage teh Spurs have is with Duncan inside, who is a monster. In terms of everyone else, it's pick your poison, the Lakers have Kobe, Odom and Gasol and a ton of shooters, even more than the Spurs. Unless Parker and Ginobili really raise their level, and at the same time getting Duncan the ball (it's sometimes mutually exclusive) I don't see them winning this. Plus, the cheap shots from the Spurs, becoming almost a staple of there's, they dont have teh Balls to try it against LA, because LA will retaliate, and in an intelligent way. The Lakers aren't going to race on the court to fight Horry, they'll just cheap shot Parker a game later.

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 01:13 PM
the NBA is a game of matchups and, imo, the Spurs win the matchups.

TD is wayy stronger than Gasol. TD can keep Gasol out of paint. Gasol better hone his 12-15 foot jumper. Most recently, TD has been going against Chandler. Having Gasol defend TD will be a comparitively HUGE sigh of relief for TD.

Kobe, for the 1st time this playoffs, will have to seriously defend someone (Manu). This can/will wear on him.

Bowen/Udoka are both top-shelf defenders to put on Kobe. Accordingly, Kobe will be working extraordinarily hard at both ends.

Tony Parker is a Laker killer. DFish will have his hands full.

Been there, Done that. We have seen time and time again that recent team experience always wins. Spurs been there, done that.

clayton
05-20-2008, 01:25 PM
Fan's favorite: Lakers.
Possible dominant players: Kobe, Duncan, Parker, and Odom.
The highlight battle: Phil vs Pop.

gts
05-20-2008, 01:28 PM
TD is wayy stronger than Gasol. TD can keep Gasol out of paint. Gasol better hone his 12-15 foot jumper. Most recently, TD has been going against Chandler. Having Gasol defend TD will be a comparitively HUGE sigh of relief for TD.
tim is 18 and 4 against pau yet their numbers are not that different, tim has more points by 3 per game but he shot more and a couple more rebounds and assists but interestigly pau holds the edge in fouls drawn and tim turns the ball over more against pau. much closer than i expected...
i'll add that except for one game (which the lakers won) all their matchups were obviously while pau was with memphis

jan803
05-20-2008, 01:37 PM
the NBA is a game of matchups and, imo, the Spurs win the matchups.

TD is wayy stronger than Gasol. TD can keep Gasol out of paint. Gasol better hone his 12-15 foot jumper. Most recently, TD has been going against Chandler. Having Gasol defend TD will be a comparitively HUGE sigh of relief for TD.

Kobe, for the 1st time this playoffs, will have to seriously defend someone (Manu). This can/will wear on him.

Bowen/Udoka are both top-shelf defenders to put on Kobe. Accordingly, Kobe will be working extraordinarily hard at both ends.

Tony Parker is a Laker killer. DFish will have his hands full.

Been there, Done that. We have seen time and time again that recent team experience always wins. Spurs been there, done that.

and did you forget about odom? based on your assessment this is a 4-on-5 take.

who on the spurs is stopping odom?

i don't care that kobe works harder on d. there are people who seem to have forgotten why kobe won mvp this year.

he's found the balance between being facilitator/attacker. he is playing his best ball EVER.

the lakers have length that will bother the spurs.

w/the spurs it's about 'their big 3'. duncan/parker/manu have been forced to do most of the scoring. they've won the most w/these guys shouldering the scoring load. shutting one of them down forces someone eles to step up.

the lakers have been winning w/kobe scoring 30 and still getting at least 3 other guys in double figures. odom is a walking double/double as well.

the spurs are going to have keep the scores low in this series. if these games hover in the 100's then it's a lakers series' win in 6.

role players...farmar (PLEASE SHOW UP), sasha, ronny, luke...these guys will be needed.

and let's not forget. we finally get ariza back. i don't care how much time phil plays this guy. if he's on the court, he's there on d. as long as he can disrupt manu (my guess at least) for a few minutes, i'll be a happy girl.

naturally the things that the lakers need are rebounding and not letting parker just waltz in the paint and not letting bowen and finley kills from 3-pt range.

low scores...spurs STILL are going to be forced to win in ANOTHER game 7. at that point i'll get back w/you w/an oxygen tank at my side.

Allstar24
05-20-2008, 01:44 PM
The only guy I'm worried about is Tony Parker. Any time he has a big game, there is no stopping the Spurs as proved in this year's playoffs. The Lakers have to make sure he doesn't go off. Fisher alone can't guard him it has to be a team effort. If we can play good defense on him, I like our chances.

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 02:03 PM
tim is 18 and 4 against pau yet their numbers are not that different, tim has more points by 3 per game but he shot more and a couple more rebounds and assists but interestigly pau holds the edge in fouls drawn and tim turns the ball over more against pau. much closer than i expected...
i'll add that except for one game (which the lakers won) all their matchups were obviously while pau was with memphis

so, those stats were when Pau was the focal point of the Memphis offense.
and probably none of those stats were playoffs... higher levels of defensive intensity.

Thom.Yorke
05-20-2008, 02:03 PM
basically its going to go down if the lakers offensive if good enough to beat the spurs defense.

I dont know how their offensive will react with the lakers but they really struggled against the hornets.

ariza is a good defense player, he'll probably get a few minutes in.

If horry trys his cheap shot in LA, I think Phil will send in Mbenga out for parker.

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 02:16 PM
and did you forget about odom? based on your assessment this is a 4-on-5 take.

who on the spurs is stopping odom? .

Kurt Thomas. to a lesser extent Oberto. Both are as-strong as Odom. At the other end, it will Odom who provides off-ball doubles and weak-side help, as Thomas/Oberto are the 5th options.


i don't care that kobe works harder on d. there are people who seem to have forgotten why kobe won mvp this year.

he's found the balance between being facilitator/attacker. he is playing his best ball EVER. .

the point is, Kobe will now have to work harder (than vs Nuggs/Jazz)...much harder...at BOTH ends. that is not a good thing, no matter how great the player may be.



the lakers have length that will bother the spurs..

maybe, but really not much. It wont affect TD at all. As for the other players, maybe a little more than the Hornets affected them. Chandler is long. Odom is a little longer than West. Don't pin any hopes on "Laker length". This aint Boozer we are playing against.


w/the spurs it's about 'their big 3'. duncan/parker/manu have been forced to do most of the scoring. they've won the most w/these guys shouldering the scoring load. shutting one of them down forces someone eles to step up.

the lakers have been winning w/kobe scoring 30 and still getting at least 3 other guys in double figures. odom is a walking double/double as well...

Spurs have serious veterans off the bench. They are well balanced. Horry and Finley both hit big 3s down the stretch against Hornets. Nothing new to any of them. Duncan did not score well against the Hornets last game, and they still pulled it out...and led for almost the entire game.


the spurs are going to have keep the scores low in this series. if these games hover in the 100's then it's a lakers series' win in 6.

role players...farmar (PLEASE SHOW UP), sasha, ronny, luke...these guys will be needed.

and let's not forget. we finally get ariza back. i don't care how much time phil plays this guy. if he's on the court, he's there on d. as long as he can disrupt manu (my guess at least) for a few minutes, i'll be a happy girl.

naturally the things that the lakers need are rebounding and not letting parker just waltz in the paint and not letting bowen and finley kills from 3-pt range.

low scores...spurs STILL are going to be forced to win in ANOTHER game 7. at that point i'll get back w/you w/an oxygen tank at my side.

agreed. Spurs will want a slower game, except on break opportunities.

DuMa
05-20-2008, 02:22 PM
If im the Lakers, i need to put Kobe on TP for some stretches of the game to contain him.

SCY
05-20-2008, 02:30 PM
uh, the lakers and pistons were the only two teams to win an away game in the second round. that hardly constitutes, 'barely' beating anyone.


Hmm, not sure how SA made it to this round then since they didn't have HCA. :D




utah's home record was impressive but we're the only team to beat them twice at energy solutions.


Along with the Rockets, yes.

millionaire19
05-20-2008, 02:31 PM
Lakers win in 4! NUFF SAID!

TMT
05-20-2008, 02:39 PM
If im the Lakers, i need to put Kobe on TP for some stretches of the game to contain him.

Then put Fisher on Ginobili? :no:
Unless your suggesting they go big with Kobe at the point which the Lakers would never do.

jan803
05-20-2008, 02:41 PM
Kurt Thomas. to a lesser extent Oberto. Both are as-strong as Odom. At the other end, it will Odom who provides off-ball doubles and weak-side help, as Thomas/Oberto are the 5th options.

i will preface that i counting on lamar to keep being our rebounding machine. he is almost unstoppable on the open floor.

frankly, i still say that odom's length is going to be a problem for the spurs. i stand by that assessment.


the point is, Kobe will now have to work harder (than vs Nuggs/Jazz)...much harder...at BOTH ends. that is not a good thing, no matter how great the player may be.

we'll just wait to see how this one pans out. the spurs can only hope to contain kobe.

he will still end up w/his regular season averages at 28/6/6...and note this is a drop off of for him...i don't think this will happen. also remember that kobe has found ways to get to the foul line this post season. bowen may be in foul trouble...then odoka, then after that...when what?

i do hope that kobe keeps a better eye on bowen on the other end of the floor. he does need to focus on d more this series.


maybe, but really not much. It wont affect TD at all. As for the other players, maybe a little more than the Hornets affected them. Chandler is long. Odom is a little longer than West. Don't pin any hopes on "Laker length". This aint Boozer we are playing against.

what you've said about kobe applies w/timmy.

he struggled at times against the bugs and it's not going to be easier for timmy. he'll get his double/doubles but he'll be working hard on both ends as well. we'll see which franchise player rises to the occasion.


Spurs have serious veterans off the bench. They are well balanced. Horry and Finley both hit big 3s down the stretch against Hornets. Nothing new to any of them. Duncan did not score well against the Hornets last game, and they still pulled it out...and led for almost the entire game.

one game does not win or lose a series. we will need to see how the benches (role players) for each team do.

i've already stated that the spurs have depended heavily on the 'big three'. the lakers haven't had to depend on kobe like past seasons. the scoring for the lakers has been very balanced all post season. i don't the same could be said about the spurs.

the spurs have struggled on their away games. they better not struggle in this series or it will end earlier. there WILL NOT BE A GAME 7 if the spurs don't split the first two. the lakers will win in at least 6 if this is the case.


Along with the Rockets, yes.

i didn't know that.

but not to be harsh, the rockets are no longer relevant.

and yes, i did also neglect the spurs closing out on their game 7. duly noted.

i still stand by my predictions though.

gts
05-20-2008, 02:48 PM
so, those stats were when Pau was the focal point of the Memphis offense.
and probably none of those stats were playoffs... higher levels of defensive intensity.yes pau was the focal point the spurs were able to key on pau, he is no longer the focal point.. the spurs will not be able to focus their efforts on containing him...
if the spurs focus on shutting pau down, kobe is going to have a field day..
if the spurs focus on pau, lamar will run rampant on them

the spurs have the best big man in the series, the lakers have the best combination of talent in the paint
pau, lamar and turiaf is better than duncan oberto and thomas

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 02:59 PM
yes pau was the focal point the spurs were able to key on pau, he is no longer the focal point.. the spurs will not be able to focus their efforts on containing him...
if the spurs focus on shutting pau down, kobe is going to have a field day..
if the spurs focus on pau, lamar will run rampant on them

the spurs have the best big man in the series, the lakers have the best combination of talent in the paint
pau, lamar and turiaf is better than duncan oberto and thomas

lord I hope you are right.

gts
05-20-2008, 03:04 PM
lord I hope you are right.lol me too!

hey like i have said it's going to be a tough series, the spurs are real good, but so are the lakers... it's really tough to call because you can't even break it down and say one coach is better...
each team has weapons, each team has role players that are playing well and contributing... it's going to be close and alot of fun

DuMa
05-20-2008, 03:20 PM
Then put Fisher on Ginobili? :no:
Unless your suggesting they go big with Kobe at the point which the Lakers would never do.

Fisher on Bowen.

TMT
05-20-2008, 03:31 PM
Fisher on Bowen.

With that height difference, Bowen would hit those corner threes all day.

GOBB
05-20-2008, 03:51 PM
I told that idiot poster Spurs would prevail. Where are you idiot?

gts
05-20-2008, 04:23 PM
Spurs arrive in L.A. after flight delays
By Jonathan Abrams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
10:58 AM PDT, May 20, 2008
The San Antonio Spurs got off to a slow start preparing for their Western Conference finals matchup against the Lakers.

The Spurs intended to fly last night from New Orleans to Los Angeles, but they ended up spending the night on their plane because of mechanical problems, according to a team spokesman.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers21-2008may21,0,7179216.story

SCdac
05-20-2008, 05:14 PM
Spurs arrive in L.A. after flight delays
By Jonathan Abrams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
10:58 AM PDT, May 20, 2008
The San Antonio Spurs got off to a slow start preparing for their Western Conference finals matchup against the Lakers.

The Spurs intended to fly last night from New Orleans to Los Angeles, but they ended up spending the night on their plane because of mechanical problems, according to a team spokesman.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers21-2008may21,0,7179216.story

Yeah, that totally sucks for the Spurs. Just going to have to show that much more perseverance.

Laker4Lyfe
05-20-2008, 06:02 PM
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers21-2008may21,0,7179216.story


Spurs not off to a good start. :eek: Reminds me of the "bus fire" that the Nuggets had.

bleedinpurpleTwo
05-20-2008, 06:19 PM
Spurs arrive in L.A. after flight delays
By Jonathan Abrams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
10:58 AM PDT, May 20, 2008
The San Antonio Spurs got off to a slow start preparing for their Western Conference finals matchup against the Lakers.

The Spurs intended to fly last night from New Orleans to Los Angeles, but they ended up spending the night on their plane because of mechanical problems, according to a team spokesman.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers21-2008may21,0,7179216.story

I had nothing to do with that!! I wasn't even in New Orleans!

:D

glidedrxlr22
05-20-2008, 06:39 PM
Rick Kamla from nba.com:

Western Conference Finals Prediction: San Antonio in 7

Before the playoffs began, I predicted that the defending champs would make it back to the Finals on the strength of Game 7 victories in New Orleans and Los Angeles. One down, one to go.

In the regular season, these teams split their meetings 2-2, but because Pau Gasol played in only one of the games, and Manu Ginobili didn't play in that game, there are no conclusions to be drawn. That's right, freaks, Game 1 on Wednesday night will be the first time this season that the Lakers and Spurs face each other with their optimum lineups (apologies to Andrew Bynum).

The Spurs are the NBA's best team at winning road playoff games, as they proved in Game 3 of the first round in Phoenix and Game 7 of the second round in New Orleans. As such, I have no hesitation in predicting a Spurs' victory in one of the first two games in LA., as well as Game 7. That said, I see the Spurs' home perfection in these playoffs (6-0) coming to an end in either Game 3 or 4. We'll be tied at two games apiece through the first four, at which point the Lakers will hold serve in Game 5 and Spurs will hold serve in Game 6, setting the stage for another road W in Game 7 for the champs.

The basketball world just witnessed the pressure of a Game 7 taking its toll on the Hornets, who shot 5-of-17 in the third quarter--a quarter they usually dominate. I wouldn't be surprised to see the same pressure spook every Laker not named Kobe or Fish. Pau has never been this far, neither has Lamar Odom. And who do you have more faith in to hit a clutch playoff jumper, Sasha Vujacic or Michael Finley?

The last time the Lakers and Spurs met in the playoffs, Derek Fisher hit a fadeaway J with .4 seconds remaining in Game 5 to essentially win the series for the Lakers. This time around, the Spurs are going to come up with the signature play of the series, and it just might be Horry sticking it to his former team on the court where he won three championship from 2000-02.

glidedrxlr22
05-20-2008, 06:43 PM
Sportsnation poll:

1) Are the Lakers and Spurs the two best teams remaining in the playoffs?

76.1% Yes
23.9% No

2) How many games will be won by the visiting team?

67.2% One
27.2% Two
3.8% Three
1.8% Four or more

3) Which team is better on the offensive end?

56.7% Lakers
43.3% Spurs

4) Which team is better on the defensive end?

87.8% Spurs
12.2% Lakers

5) Which team has the edge off the bench?

61.9% Spurs
38.1% Lakers

6) Which coach would you rather have on the sideline?

56.3% Gregg Popovich
43.7% Phil Jackson

7) Which player would be your first choice for a potential game-winning play?

50.7% Kobe Bryant
28.9% Manu Ginobili
10.1% Tim Duncan
10.0% Tony Parker
0.3% Pau Gasol

8) Which is a tougher place to play?

67.4% AT&T Center
32.6% Staples Center

9) Which series did you most want to see?

74.8% Lakers vs. Spurs
25.2% Lakers vs. Hornets

10) Which team will win this series?

32.2% Spurs, 4-2
26.3% Lakers, 4-2
10.8% Spurs, 4-1
10.4% Spurs, 4-3
8.4% Lakers, 4-3
6.6% Lakers, 4-1
3.3% Spurs, 4-0
1.8% Lakers, 4-0

Total Votes: 86,301

3zazer1
05-20-2008, 08:44 PM
I think Gasol has Duncan down,because of that the Spurs have no good centers.but my star machup is kb24 vs bruce.Remember,this is defence vs mvp offence

hoss805
05-21-2008, 02:50 AM
Lakers are 2-2 against the Spurs this season
but 3 of those games were with Kwame Brown

hotsizzle
05-21-2008, 03:09 AM
So according to Laker practice reports, it looks like Radman will start out guarding Ginobili and Kobe will be on Bowen. Lamar to guard Oberto and Pau on Duncan.

RajonKGcelts
05-21-2008, 03:11 AM
I'm excited to see how Kobe plays against the Spurs in a 7 game series

Loki
05-21-2008, 03:15 AM
So according to Laker practice reports, it looks like Radman will start out guarding Ginobili and Kobe will be on Bowen. Lamar to guard Oberto and Pau on Duncan.

IMO that's a complete lie put out by the Laker camp as a stratagem. No way does Radman EVER guard Manu, much less to start the game, which would allow him to get hot early.

jan803
05-21-2008, 03:50 AM
IMO that's a complete lie put out by the Laker camp as a stratagem. No way does Radman EVER guard Manu, much less to start the game, which would allow him to get hot early.

i believe this is based on the spurs putting ginobli in the starting lineup.

fish-parker
kobe-bowen
vlad-ginobli
odom-oberto
pau-duncan

if they start finley, then vlad would guard him. that's my guess anyway.

Loki
05-21-2008, 03:58 AM
i believe this is based on the spurs putting ginobli in the starting lineup.

fish-parker
kobe-bowen
vlad-ginobli
odom-oberto
pau-duncan

if they start finley, then vlad would guard him. that's my guess anyway.

If Radman guards Ginobili for more than a few minutes of game 1 (if that), I'll eat my words.

jan803
05-21-2008, 04:03 AM
If Radman guards Ginobili for more than a few minutes of game 1 (if that), I'll eat my words.

so who's going to be vlad's man then?

no need to eat your words...but if you need a napkin for your lap...:D

Loki
05-21-2008, 04:08 AM
so who's going to be vlad's man then?

no need to eat your words...but if you need a napkin for your lap...:D

He'll be guarding Bowen imo. He may start on Manu, but it won't last for more than a quarter, and they won't revisit that matchup for the rest of the series. Manu would light him up like a candlestick.

3stat2
05-21-2008, 05:01 AM
I don't think it's going to come down to 'Kobe vs Bowen', 'Fisher vs Parker', 'Gasol vs Duncan' matchups on defense. Both teams have players who are so good on offense that you can't just expect one player to stop them. There's no way Bowen is going to stop Kobe for 48 minutes a game. Just as there's no way Fisher is going to stop Parker for 48 minutes. Same could be said for other matchups.

It's going to be the team defense as a whole that decides who wins - how quickly guys can rotate and help out, whether the next guy knows where he should go; being able to get up and cover that open man while knowing that your teammates will rotate fast enough to switch and close everyone out... the kind of stuff that comes with experience, team chemistry and excellent coaching.

In the Suns series, far too often I'd see Suns players not rotating properly because they didn't know/trust if a teammate was coming to back them up. You can't have much confidence contesting an Ime Udoka jumpshot when you know you'll leave Nash needing to realise he needs to rotate onto Ginobili. Unfortunately for me, watching the Spurs team D compared to the Suns' (for most of the time anyway) was like a night and day comparison.

It just comes down to how well these guys have been coached in team defense. That's going to be the key in this series, imo.

LakersLaLaLand
05-21-2008, 05:04 AM
Lakers in 5, Lakers win Game 4 in San Antonio solidifying how strong they are. Remember last 3 games(if necessary) go LA-SA-LA. If not 5, this series will go 7 to the Lakers. Every game is going to be a battle. Nobody will be winning by more than 8 points in any game, no blowouts this series. Each game will go down to the last 2 minutes.

Sidenote: my spurs analysis will be short because we all know what they can do. San Antonio plays solid D and can have its days of being explosive on offense, when they aren’t being their usual efficient selves. Nothing here changes. On the other hand, plenty has changed for the Lakers.

These are not the same Lakers from years past. Pau is great post player, respectable shooter, and above avg passer(4.7 apg playoffs). Odom has a new lease on life driving hard to the basket and even harder to clean the boards. Sasha “the machine!!!!!!” is shooting terrific, as long as it’s a set shot.

Ariza, should he playe, will be the true X-factor of the Lakers on both sides of the court, slashing, running the break and scoring regularly; On defense he fills passing lanes, gets his hands on loose balls or weak passes with occasional key rebounds. Pure energy .

Lakers Version.07.08. are overwhelmingly different breed of past purple n gold squads. No longer are they solely a Kobe-Kobe-Kobe offense...you will be amazingly surprised. I am guaranteeing anybody doubting or unfamiliar with the Lakers, especially Spurs fans, are going be shocked at how efficiently beautiful the offense is. Defense still has many things to be desired, but they can put together stretches of great D, enough to win games and hopefully a championship, Unlike the spurs who play 48 minutes of solid defense.

The Lakers are no longer a doormat to easy wins.

Great match up across the board. A couple mismatches stand out, spurs have a superior guard in Parker, where the Lakers don't have an equally superior guard-defender. Farmar is surely not the answer against a quick drive heavy guard in Parker. Fisher and Vujacic will be the main options against Mr. Longoria(damn shes fine). Parker driving to the basket will be the key to Spurs wins and he will be successful for the most part.

As for the Lakers, Odoms size and talent will create problems across the board for Popovich. Timmy will be preoccupied with Pau. So Kurt Thomas and Oberto will be Odoms primary defenders. If Odoms jump shot is consistently going down, which i do not expect, this series is over for the spurs. Odom is no longer the clumsy lazy offensive clown he used to be. He finish's at the basket and rebounds hard on both ends. Spurs will focus on shutting Odom down more than Kobe.

I hate to use a <, > or = chart. But it is easy to read. I will stop myself from doing it.

Matchups

gasol vs duncan...both guys will get theirs. I almost want to say this is going to be a wash of great big men. Don’t get me wrong guys DUNCAN IS A BALLER. So is gasol. Duncan will shoot a slightly below avg fg% basketball fans are used to. Gasol is as important to the Lakers as much as kobe at this point in the playoffs. Gasol opens up the floor for both Kobe and Odom to do their work in space, much how Duncan does exactly the same for Parker and ginobili. Opening up passing lanes, driving lanes and provides a sure handed low post presence for easy baskets or even a great mid-range shooter. Most importantly everybody on the Lakers trusts Pau to score anytime. Especially Phil Jackson, In game 6 vs the Jazz Gasol was the center of the offense. . He is also shooting 56.8% from the field during the playoffs, 59% during the regular season(message: he is consistent).

Pop is better off putting Oberto or Thomas on Pau to play roughhouse on Gasol. He was clearly struggling to get those easy baskets around the hoop vs utah. This defensive strategy has it drawbacks Pau is a great ft shooter unlike Duncan. Both players have fallen off their regular season numbers. Gasol 79 down to 71%. Duncan 69 down to 65%. Both guys shoot 4-6 fts a game.

Lakers defensive counter will be Turiaf on Duncan. Ronnie can play excellent help defense against both guards and bigs. Offensively, he can be semi-force every other game. DD Mbenga will also be used to pick up fouls against Timmy.

Duncan is Duncan. He gets ISH done. Providing for himself and finding his teammates once he draws the double team. Pau’s length will give him some issues. Also Duncan will hardly find a chance to rest on the court guarding either Pau or Lamar.

Kurt Thomas/Oberto vs Odom dead even on rebounds but Odom is superior to both guys combined on offense. Thomas and Oberto will stay in front of Odom very well. Odom will be effective but not explosive. Odom will avg 17 pts a game.

Kurt and Oberto will get their garbage point’s ala Kurt goggles Rambis. Mostly their presense will be felt on the defensive end versus both Gasol and Lamar. Both players could minimize Gasol/Odom effectiveness as rebounders.

Kobe vs Bowen. Offense vs Defense. Offense generally wins in one-on-one matchups, when we are analyzing elite players. We could easily see Bowen on Odom even though he is giving up 3 inches and a lot of reach. Bowen would only need to stop Odom from driving. What else am I going to say here. No way Bowen locks kobe down.

Bowen will strangely find Vujacic guarding out on the perimeter. Getting a taste of his own medicine. Sasha is the Lakers version of Bowen, pesky defender minus the on court maturity of Bruce.

Finley/Ime Udoka/ Ginobili vs Vujacic/Radman/Luke Walton ...They all play guard/forward positions.

Ginobili is the only BALLER from the group. Great all around player, can be a streaky shooter at times. Offense or defense Ginobili doesn’t have any holes in his game. Plenty of 3’s, assists, stls, rebounds, driving to the basket, high ft% and low turnovers. On any given night he will have any mixture of high rebounds or assists or threes or free throws.. I know first hand about Ginobili’s explosive stat lines. The guy helped me win a fantasy championship with a $1000+ prize along with CP3, Dirk, Jamison and Camby. TOOT TOOT.

Finley/udoka/Vujacic/Radman are all the same player on offense. 3point specialists with the occasional mid range jumper or layup. On defense they are completely different.

Walton is a glue guy. Who can put up 5 rebs and 5 assist nights. Triangle offense loves when Walton is hitting the open layups, jumpers, open slashers, turnaround post play. Walton played like crap all regular season. Thankfully as a laker fan…he is playing better in the post season.


Parker/vaughn vs fisher/farmar Parker gets the clear edge on offense here. Respectable defender as well. His quick feet will find him at the basket a lot, especially considering the Lakers are weak interior defenders especially when their guards are broken down at the front of the play. Fisher and especially farmar are susceptible to the ole defense forcing help d to come. Making Parker twice as effective as a scorer or passer.

Derek Derek Derek…I never wanted you to leave. Lakers should have paid you years ago. Thanks for not holding a grudge and returning. Fisher is shooting the second highest fg% of his 12 year career.43.6%. Derek stepped up his game during the playoffs, shooting 51.4%, making him the 4th laker starter, to shoot above 50% during the playoffs. Kobe 49.5% close enough. Pau 56.4%, Lamar 51.9%. Luke 54.4%. Sasha shot at or above 50% 8 out of 10 playoff games. Two bad shooting games put his average at 45.8%

Bench vs Bench. Lakers are deep. So are the Spurs. Lakers have more talent though.

Ariza/Turiaf/ Vujacic/ Walton/Farmar/ MBenga/ Mihm

Thomas/Finley/ udoka/ Vaughn/ horry/ bonner/barry


Bottom-line…we have two great teams facing each other for the right to a finals appearance. These teams are so evenly matched it’s very hard to pick a clear outright winner or to even break down the match ups. But I tried my best. Hope you guys learned something new. I could do more…but I have done plenty.

LakersLaLaLand
05-21-2008, 05:07 AM
I don't think it's going to come down to 'Kobe vs Bowen', 'Fisher vs Parker', 'Gasol vs Duncan' matchups on defense. Both teams have players who are so good on offense that you can't just expect one player to stop them. There's no way Bowen is going to stop Kobe for 48 minutes a game. Just as there's no way Fisher is going to stop Parker for 48 minutes. Same could be said for other matchups.

It's going to be the team defense as a whole that decides who wins - how quickly guys can rotate and help out, whether the next guy knows where he should go; being able to get up and cover that open man while knowing that your teammates will rotate fast enough to switch and close everyone out... the kind of stuff that comes with experience, team chemistry and excellent coaching.

In the Suns series, far too often I'd see Suns players not rotating properly because they didn't know/trust if a teammate was coming to back them up. You can't have much confidence contesting an Ime Udoka jumpshot when you know you'll leave Nash needing to realise he needs to rotate onto Ginobili. Unfortunately for me, watching the Spurs team D compared to the Suns' (for most of the time anyway) was like a night and day comparison.

It just comes down to how well these guys have been coached in team defense. That's going to be the key in this series, imo.

Great point...and absolutely spot on. Parker will break down his man...forcing odom or gasol to help leaving their man open. Parker is good enough to drop dimes to duncan/thomas/ oberto. This will happen alot unless Parker just takes it to the rack.

LakersLaLaLand
05-21-2008, 05:10 AM
If Radman guards Ginobili for more than a few minutes of game 1 (if that), I'll eat my words.

Start eating...Phil likes to challenge his players. Radmans length could give Manu some issue for at least a little bit. Buying the Lakers time and resting kobe early in the game and series. Before Phil actually has to move Kobe onto Manu in the 2nd half or earlier. Depending on manu's effectiveness.

Its a completely viable option.

nashisbest
05-21-2008, 06:47 AM
Lakers are 2-2 against the Spurs this season
but 3 of those games were with Kwame Brown

wow.. that's a shocking stat. so was it 2-1 or 1-2 with kwame?

i'm rooting for the lakers. if spurs meet boston in the finals i'll cancel my cable subscription

however, i feel that spurs have a stronger bench which is critical

e-Thugstylez
05-21-2008, 11:00 AM
I can easily foresee this being the tightest series of the 2008 playoffs. Boston hasn't been as good in the playoffs as they were in the regular season, but it goes without saying the Lakers and Spurs both are playing championship caliber basketball at this point.

Having said that, the winner of this series is your NBA champions. I rarely ever pull for the Lakers, but when they're playing the Spurs, I have no choice! The Spurs have evolved into a bit*hing and crying team composed of dirty flopping players.

Lakers play a potential 4 games at home this series, I'll go ahead and say that's the decisive factor that lets the Lakers take the Spurs out in a close Game 7.